Most professionals must draft formal business letters at some point in their careers. Whether you are looking for a job, leaving a job or communicating with a client, properly formatting and writing a business letter indicates your level of professionalism. To write such a letter, follow the correct format and use professional language while addressing all of the necessary requirements.
Block Formatting
The most common format for a formal business letter is the block format. With this format, all text is flush left, with 1-inch margins around the entire page. To write your letter in this format:
- Type your address, unless the letterhead is preprinted with it, in which case you begin with the date.
- Skip a line, then add the date.
- Skip another line, and add the name and address of the letter’s recipient.
- Skip another line, and insert the greeting, followed by a colon.
- Skip a another line, and begin your letter.
- After the body of the letter, type the closing.
- Skip three lines, and then type your name and title.
Indented Formatting
Indented formatting follows a similar pattern to block formatting in terms of spacing between sections. However, there are some differences with the alignment of sections:
- Type your address and the date with the left edge of the lines aligned with the center of the page. Again, if you are using a printed letterhead, do not retype your address.
- Skip a line, and type the recipient’s name and address. They should be flush left, as with the block style.
- Indent each paragraph of the body of the letter a half-inch, with a single space between paragraphs.
- Type the closing and the signature lines so they're even with the address and date at the top of the page, with the left edge aligned at the center of the page.
Letter Content
Typically, a formal business letter can be divided into five distinct parts:
- An introduction that tells the recipient what the letter is about.
- A reason for writing.
- Information about any enclosures.
- Additional remarks or statements.
- A closing that references future contact.
For example, if you are writing to follow up on an informational interview, you would begin by referencing the meeting and say you are writing to follow up. If you are sending documents, such as a copy of your resume or writing sample, note that in the letter; for instance, “As we discussed, I have enclosed a copy of the article I wrote for XYZ Journal on marketing tactics.” End by reiterating that you appreciated the meeting and that you will remain in touch throughout your job search. Avoid using any abbreviations or slang in your letter, and carefully proofread before sending.
Special Considerations
If someone else is typing the letter for you, indicate that on a line underneath the signature line. Skip a line, and then type your initials in capital letters, followed by a forward slash and the typist’s initials in lower case.
If you are including enclosures in your letter, alert the recipient by adding a note at the bottom of the letter. Skip two lines from the signature line, or one from the typist line. Type “Enclosures,” followed either by the number of enclosures in parentheses or a colon and the specific enclosures listed on separate numbered lines, for example, Enclosures: 1. Resume 2. Writing Sample.
If you are sending a copy of the letter to someone else, include a CC line as well. After the enclosures line, skip a line. Type CC, followed by a colon and the name of the additional recipient. If there is more than one person, include each name on a separate line.
Finally, choose a conservative and easy to read font. Times New Roman or Arial in 10 or 12 point are the most common choices for business letters.
